Reviews

These pants are comfortable in a wide range of temperatures…

These pants are comfortable in a wide range of temperatures for a variety of uses. They stretch enough to do the splits and don't look too much like "outdoor" pants.

Pros

The fabric is durable and highly breathable

Fabric similar to Schoeller but about $150 less

Highly breathable

Cons

The fit is a bit old school with a tall rise

Too warm to use in the summer

Zippered cuff doesn't expand very much

My original intention with these pants was to use them as a summer climbing pant. But after the first day wearing them I realized they were intended for much colder temperatures. The highly breathable stretch woven is perfect for cool to cold weather activities including such things as bike commuting to work very early in the morning, hiking in the high country in the fall and cross country skiing.

Even though the pants fit trim, I can layer thin fleece tights under them when it gets really cold. The fabric is very abrasion resistant and has been tested in diverse activities such as manzanita bushwacking, cycling, chasing toddlers around on the carpet and failed attempts at off width climbing. Even after two plus years of use the pants look great and there's no discernible wear on the knees or butt.

All the pockets are deep enough to be functional and zippered to prevent loss, the ankle drawcord works well to turn the pants into knickers when you get too hot. The zippered cuff doesn't really expand the cuff very much, the pants could probably function just as well without the zippers.

Would I buy another pair of these pants? Yes, in fact I own both colors - gray and black and if they came in red I'd probably buy a third pair.

I love wearing these pants on short backpacking trips…

I love wearing these pants on short backpacking trips and afternoon outings alike. They are lightweight, perfect for layering.

Pros

The three pockets (all zip) make organization easy on trail

machine washable!

Fleece lining on the upper pockets is LUXURIOUS, my favorite feature

Excellent job repelling burs

Cons

Slim cut makes it hard to layer with boots, despite the zippers

Its only been 8 months, but I'm already getting pilling on the seat of the pants

The fit of these soft shell pants was unusual—I went up a size, and can easily throw on 1 or 2 wicking layers to stay warm in most conditions. That said, there is a lot of flexibility in the fit of these pants, the elastic waistband has plenty of give, and the ankles can be zipped up to tightly seal out cold air, or opened (although mine still would not fit over the ankle of my boots).

I've also found that the fit is comfortable enough that I'll just add fleece pants right over them when I get into camp after a day on the trail (or a hard-shell in poor weather). I've used the pants in rainy, snowy and windy conditions, and found that they do a good job of keeping me protected. They do not provide warmth, but they do a good job of blocking the wind, and the wet- including sweat. This does well at wicking away sweat so when I stop for breaks, my temperature doesn't do a nose-dive.

So far, my main issue with these pants has been handling abrasion. I'm not gentle on my gear, but I'm surprised to see pilling (especially along the lines where my harness hits) after 8 months.

Otherwise, this is a pair of well made pants, the seams are showing no signs of use, the fleecy pockets are still fleecy and I'm still going to be wearing them for a long time to come.